Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Appleton, WI and Hamilton

For one person, living is cheaper in Appleton, WI: $2,114 a month against $2,253 in Hamilton, rent and utilities included – about $1,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

103

Cost of Living Index in Appleton, WI
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Appleton, WI Living Index
110

Cost of Living Index in Hamilton
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Hamilton Living Index

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Appleton, WI

🇺🇸 United States

$2,114

/mo nomad

Hamilton

🇨🇦 Canada

$2,253

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Appleton, WI and in Hamilton

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Appleton, WI and in Hamilton actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,114 per month in Appleton, WI vs $2,253 in Hamilton, rent included.

Appleton, WI $2,114
Hamilton $2,253

A couple spends around $3,257 per month in Appleton, WI vs $3,331 in Hamilton, rent included.

Appleton, WI $3,257
Hamilton $3,331

A family of three spends $4,400 per month in Appleton, WI vs $4,408 in Hamilton, rent included.

Appleton, WI $4,400
Hamilton $4,408

Appleton, WI is about 6% cheaper than Hamilton, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Appleton, WI and Hamilton sit above the global median – Appleton, WI by 57%, Hamilton by 67%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.17 $18.17

$17.21 CA$24.33

5.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$65.1 $65.1

$65.7 CA$92.8

-0.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.10 $11.10

$11.87 CA$16.77

-6.49%

Cappuccino

$5.37 $5.37

$3.37 CA$4.77

59.35%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.59 $2.59

$2.22 CA$3.14

16.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 $2.31

$1.69 CA$2.39

36.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.61 $4.61

$4.99 CA$7.05

-7.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.09 $6.09

$6.03 CA$8.52

1.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.03 $1.03

$1.89 CA$2.67

-45.50%

White Bread (500g)

$3.06 $3.06

$2.12 CA$2.99

44.34%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.13 $5.13

$3.13 CA$4.43

63.90%

Eggs

$4.53 $4.53

$3.33 CA$4.70

36.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.18 $14.18

$7.88 CA$11.13

79.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 $8.35

$11.30 CA$15.98

-26.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.52 $15.52

$14.24 CA$20.13

8.99%

Apples (1kg)

$4.84 $4.84

$3.81 CA$5.38

27.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.33 $1.33

$1.27 CA$1.79

4.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.14 $3.14

$3.98 CA$5.63

-21.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.37 $4.37

$3.82 CA$5.40

14.40%

Potato (1kg)

$2.13 $2.13

$2.71 CA$3.83

-21.40%

Onion (1kg)

$2.63 $2.63

$1.91 CA$2.69

37.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.21 $2.21

$1.95 CA$2.75

13.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.14 $3.14

$1.33 CA$1.88

136.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.94 $10.94

$12.49 CA$17.65

-12.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.89 $14.89

$13.95 CA$19.72

6.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 $1.76

$2.65 CA$3.74

-33.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 $3.34

$3.77 CA$5.33

-11.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.56 CA$3.62

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$84.1 CA$119

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.22 $3.22

$3.36 CA$4.76

-4.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.28 CA$1.82

8.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.33 $24.33

$23.24 CA$32.85

4.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.98 $0.98

$1.21 CA$1.71

-19.01%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$35.4K $35.4K

$27.6K CA$39.1K

28.28%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$25.4K $25.4K

$19.6K CA$27.7K

29.67%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$174 $174

$152 CA$214

14.90%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$44.20 $44.20

$41.21 CA$58.3

7.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 $61.6

$50.2 CA$70.9

22.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.46 $23.46

$36.85 CA$52.1

-36.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$39.62 $39.62

$17.62 CA$24.91

124.86%

Cinema Ticket

$14.55 $14.55

$10.23 CA$14.46

42.23%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$1,508 $1,508

$600 CA$848

151.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.4K $31.4K

$16.6K CA$23.4K

89.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$39.23 $39.23

$47.93 CA$67.8

-18.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.89 $24.89

$30.45 CA$43.05

-18.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$50.0 $50.0

$83.8 CA$118

-40.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$111 $111

$114 CA$161

-2.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,524 $1,524

$1,251 CA$1,769

21.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$992 $992

$1,123 CA$1,588

-11.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,800 $1,800

$2,042 CA$2,887

-11.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,897 $1,897

$1,873 CA$2,647

1.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,257 $2,257

$2,695 CA$3,810

-16.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,278 $2,278

$2,668 CA$3,771

-14.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,999 $3,999

$2,860 CA$4,044

39.81%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.37

4.6

38.48%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Appleton, WI: October 11, 2026

Last update for Hamilton: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Appleton, WI

$992 46.9%

Hamilton

$1.1K 49.9% 13.3% $132

Groceries & Markets

Appleton, WI

$380 18%

Hamilton

$335 14.9% 12% $46

Eating Out

Appleton, WI

$298 14.1%

Hamilton

$266 11.8% 10.6% $31

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Appleton, WI

$280 13.3%

Hamilton

$243 10.8% 13.2% $37

Clothing & Footwear

Appleton, WI

$101 4.8%

Hamilton

$124 5.5% 22.7% $23

Sport & Entertainment

Appleton, WI

$53 2.5%

Hamilton

$57 2.5% 9% $4.8

Getting Around

Appleton, WI

$10 * 0.5%

Hamilton

$104 4.6% 924% $94

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,524 in Appleton, WI versus $1,251 in Hamilton. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 40% higher in Appleton, WI, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $65.0 in Appleton, WI versus $66.0 in Hamilton. Groceries tell a different story – $380 in Appleton, WI vs $335 in Hamilton – so Hamilton wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Appleton, WI

🇨🇦 Hamilton

🕒 Local time

15:59 3:59 PM

16:59 4:59 PM

1 h ahead of Appleton, WI

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

74,139

519,949

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

Canadian Dollar CAD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

1 CAD = 0.707 USD

1 CAD = 0.629 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

CAD, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

🇨🇦 Canadian Dollar ($)

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 1.41 CAD (1 CAD = 0.707 USD). 1 EUR = 1.59 CAD (1 CAD = 0.629 EUR).

CAD to USD in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Appleton, WI Hamilton 700 km ≈ 1 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Appleton, WI
Hamilton

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Appleton, WI vs Hamilton: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Hamilton is pricier by about 7%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in transport.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,170 per month in Appleton, WI and $3,380 in Hamilton. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Appleton, WI, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $65.0 in Appleton, WI and $66.0 in Hamilton. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 14% cheaper in Hamilton – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Appleton, WI, where all-in costs run around $2,114, than in Hamilton at $2,253. In Appleton, WI it covers expenses comfortably, while in Hamilton it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Appleton, WI – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Appleton, WI. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Hamilton makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.